Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher (Oct 13, 1925 – Apr 8, 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. Nicknamed “the Iron Lady” by a Soviet journalist for her tough leadership style, her conservative policies became known as “Thatcherism.”

"Margaret Thatcher was Britain's first female prime minister and served three consecutive terms in office. She was one of the dominant political figures of 20th century Britain, and Thatcherism continues to have a huge influence." This BBC mini site includes video highlights from their broadcast TV shows, and a short Thatcher biography. Be sure to visit "Thatcher's Journey from Finchley to Downing St" which you'll find listed under Related BBC Links in the right hand column.

"Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't." Brainy Quote brings us three pages of Thatcher quotations, tagged by topic. There is also a page of quotes that mention Thatcher. Look for it under the Links subhead in the right-hand column. "One of the people that I respect the most now, a person I think has done a heck of a lot for this world as a leader, is Margaret Thatcher." Sanford I. Weill

The Guardian mini-site includes articles about Thatcher's death and funeral, and Editors' Picks of stories about her life from their archive. " [David] Cameron said that in the 1940s the then Margaret Roberts went for a job interview at ICI. Afterwards the interviewer said she was 'headstrong, obstinate and dangerously opinionated'. Those qualities, said Cameron, were eventually put to use in the service of the country."

"After giving birth to twins in 1953 -- Carol and Mark -- MT [Margaret Thatcher] quickly resumed the search for a winnable Conservative seat. She received some painful rejections from local Conservatives who thought that a young mother should stay at home with her children, and momentarily decided to give up politics for law." The official site of the Margaret Thatcher Foundation includes an obituary, a biography, a chronology of key events in her life, and an archive of speeches and interviews.

"Mrs. Thatcher, who set her country on a rightward economic path, held her nation's top office longer than any other British politician in the 20th century." The New York Times news archive offers an obituary, news articles, speeches, interviews, slide shows and video. But as with many modern political leaders, not all of it is kind. Robert Mackey writes of the vitriol that spilled over social networks upon her death, in his article and video titled "Taboo on Speaking Ill of the Dead Wildly Ignored Online After Thatcher's Death."